


Daughter of a Devil

by Sethrine



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Banter, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood, Cute, Daughter!Reader - Freeform, Family, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Father!Dante, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Feels, Gen, Light Angst, Mild Language, Pregnancy, Reminiscing, Silly, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2019-12-26 15:01:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18284678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sethrine/pseuds/Sethrine
Summary: Being a parent wasn’t easy, nor was there such thing as being perfect at it. Good news for Dante, seeing as how he doesn’t have the slightest idea in hell what to do with a child.Sometimes, he was certain that fighting off a hoard of demons was a far better match than keeping up with his own daughter. Well, at least he wasn’t going down without a fight.Father!Dante & Daughter!Reader





	1. Don't Touch (5 yrs.)

**Author's Note:**

> With my love for the DMC universe rekindled, I’ve decided to bring back a fic that I wrote many years ago, edited to make it an even better experience. I am so, so excited to be able to start posting this thing!
> 
> Thank you to my dear friends for hyping me up and encouraging me into getting this thing going. I can’t wait for you guys to read it!

Being at the ripe age of five, your curiosity about the things around you was at an all-time high. Cognitively, you were understanding things much better, and you were taking an even more hands-on approach to observing everyday objects as well as just about anything that caught your interest.

It just so happened that your father was a demon hunter, and he had quite a few interesting things to play with around the shop.

 “Daddy! What does this thingy do?”

At your question, Dante glanced up from his magazine, quickly reaching out and snatching the swirling, orb shaped object from your grasp. It was a bit of a souvenir from his latest hunt, something quite valuable that held quite a bit of power.

To you, though, it was shiny, and the inside of the orb changed colors and moved when you held it.

“Don’t touch, Squirt. This isn’t for little hands.”

You poked out your bottom lip as you watched your father place the orb back on its small pedestal upon his desk, looking down at your hands a moment later as you opened and closed them in observation.

Daddy didn’t know what he was talking about – your hands weren’t even that small!

Giving a little huff, you jumped down from your perch on your father’s desk in search of something else to look at, the cluttered and somewhat messy room full of opportune items for you to observe and mess with. The process of playing with such items continued for another half hour as, one by one, Dante took away everything you had found, proclaiming the same thing every time as he stashed the wonders away from your grabby fingers.

“Don’t touch!”

After the fifth or sixth item, the last one being what looked like a shrunken head with a glowing tassel hanging from its hair, Dante had apparently had enough of your defiant mood. He proceeded to pick you up, moving toward the couch and placing you right in the middle. He then crouched until he was eye-level with you, eyes slightly narrowed and lips pulled tight in a serious look.

“That’s it, Squirt. Time out. Fifteen minutes.”

Your lip quivered as he continued to stare you down, but your hurt expression didn’t change his serious one, so you looked away with a petulant whine and crossed your arms, angry pout in place to show your extreme form of distaste with your situation. Dante sighed, but said nothing more as he moved back to the chair behind his desk, taking up his magazine once more and throwing his feet up upon the wooden surface as he reclined.

You, in turn, proceeded to pout for the duration of your punishment, huffing as you attempted to entertain yourself.  In that time, you kicked your feet, stared at the ceiling, blew dust from the arm of the couch, sat upside down, and did whatever else you could think of while being stuck by the law of your father. Being placed on the couch was a form of containment, and attempting to leave before Dante said otherwise promised a longer punishment.

You had learned your lesson after the first three times and knew better than to try to escape.

After what felt like forever to your five-year-old mind, Dante stood from his chair, his boots thumping against the wooden floor almost ominously with each step until he stopped before you and crouched once more. With a gentle hand, he reached out and tapped the underside of your chin to gain your attention, ensuring your gaze was on him.

“You understand why you were put here, don’t you?”

Defiantly, you shook your head side to side, but a firm look from your father had you shrugging then reluctantly nodding your head a bit guiltily.

“I was playing with things I wasn’t s’posed to. But I was just looking!”

“And touching, and shaking, and very nearly setting the curtains on fire, but hey, no big, right?”

His sarcasm had an adverse effect, and your lip was trembling once again as you fought off tears.

“I-I jus’ wanted to know wh-what those things were.”

Dante gave a sigh through his nose as his gaze softened, the smallest lilt of a smile reaching his lips. He reached out and ran a gentle hand through your hair, easing your near-breakdown to basic sniffles.

“I know you’re curious, Squirt, but you don’t need to touch Daddy’s things, or you might get hurt. Remember what happened to that lady that came in the other day?”

You sniffled as you wiped at the unshed tears clinging to your lashes, nodding at the memory of a very loud, very _rude_ woman that messed with something hanging on the wall that she really shouldn’t have. Who knew there was so much blood in a grown-up’s neck?

“I don’t want you to get hurt in any way, alright? I know the things that I bring home seem cool, but they can be dangerous, too. Don’t touch them, unless I say otherwise. Got it?”

You frowned, but gave a reluctant nod of your head. Dante’s smile grew a bit wider as he ruffled at the silver strands of your hair, your small hands coming up to push him away with a grumpy whine. Even so, a small grin was slowly forming on your face.

“There we go, we got a smile, after all! So, you hungry? I think we got some pizza left from yesterday in the fridge.”

Your smile grew as you nodded vigorously; you had grown accustomed to eating pizza almost every other day and quite enjoyed anything that had cheese and pepperoni on it.

Dante stood then and moved into the kitchen, raiding the fridge for the treat he had mentioned, partly because it was past lunchtime, and partly to get on your good side, once more. Just as he pulled out the grease-stained cardboard box, there was a loud crashing noise that sounded quite similar to glass breaking coming from the front office. Silence followed for a few beats before the shriek of some hell-creature pierced the air, followed by your startled scream.

“Daddy!”

“Damnit, I told you not to touch anything!”


	2. Sick of Being Sick (6 yrs.)

There was no nice way to put it – you were sick, and terribly so.

Apparently, running around outside without any shoes on while it was pouring, in cooler weather, no less, was a recipe for disaster. You felt as if something had hit you in the head numerous times while holding your nose closed so you couldn’t breathe. Then, to add insult to injury, you were sick to your stomach beyond belief, seemingly poisoned for simply enjoying a little water from the sky.

One thing was for sure - never again would you do something as stupid as that. Dante would make sure of it.

Three days had passed since the first night of sickness, and you still felt as bad as you had after coming in soaking wet, sneezing and feeling as if the room was running circles around you. Dante had reacted on instinct and wrapped you in a warm, fluffy towel before bringing you to the bathroom for a warm bath. Sadly, his efforts weren’t enough to keep you from getting completely wrecked by a bad cold.

As weird as it was, you had never been this severely sick before. Sure, a slight fever now and again that usually vanished within a couple of hours, but nothing that had you bedridden for three days and counting. It worried Dante much more than he would have liked to admit, seeing as how he wasn’t able to work on any of the piling cases because of your illness, too concerned with the fact that you would barely move from your bed.

Since he had never really dealt with such a severe sickness before, he tried his best to think of things that would make you better. He brought you pizza, of which you turned away with the complaint that it smelled bad and made your tummy hurt. He came up with books and would read to you, but you would fall asleep within the first three to five minutes of him reading when you usually enjoyed the different voices he gave the characters.

You were clammy; you wouldn’t eat; you barely even stayed awake longer than half an hour at a time. The truth of the matter was that you weren’t getting any better, and it worried the half-demon to no end.

As a last resort (and knowing that he would probably get his ass chewed out for not saying anything sooner), he finally called in Lady in hopes that she would know what to do. Thankfully, Lady was already in town and headed in the direction of the shop.

When she arrived, she completely ignored Dante and went straight upstairs to check on you. She even brought in some medicine that she was able to gently coax you into taking. Added with some chicken noodle soup that your stomach was more than happy to accept and a cool, wet rag against your forehead, your fever broke for the first time later that evening, and your overall color looked more lively and healthy.

You had fallen asleep soon after, much to Dante’s utter relief. He made to thank Lady, but the quick cut of her glare silenced him in the moment.

She stood from the side of your bed, pausing momentarily beside Dante as she made her way out.

“Meet me downstairs. We need to have a little talk.”

Lady shut the door softly behind her, and Dante was left to watch over your sleeping form for several long minutes in a confused mix of thankful and antsy, knowing full well his lovely friend was about to rip him a new one.

He waited for nearly fifteen minutes before heaving a sigh, reaching to you and gently stroking a thumb along your much cooler cheek before leaving your room with quiet steps. As soon as he cleared the stairs, he was being shouted at for his _negligence_ _and lack of understand on how to take care of a child,_ of which he took the brunt of, in stride. She was worried, just as he had been, and the only way to shake it off was to take it out on him.

Neither he nor Lady, however, could have predicted the ramifications of their bickering, namely in the face of a very sick child.

\---

“…and you don’t feed her pizza when she’s nauseous, you idiot! I bet this is half the reason she got this sick in the first place, a nutrient-poor diet of pizzas and sundaes!”

“Whoa, chill out, babe!. There are vegetables on pizza-”

“That isn’t enough, Dante. She needs fresh fruits and vegetables to counteract the junk you let her consume! And another thing-“

The conversation was abruptly interrupted by several gunshots coming from the top of the stairs. Both Lady and Dante were at the ready, narrowed eyes looking up to see your blanket-swaddled form holding up a gun that suspiciously looked like Ivory, frown on your face and eyes squinted from the loud shots that made your ears ring and head throb even more.

That was…definitely not what they had been expecting.

“I’m tired,” you shouted grumpily, “and you’re being too noisy, so just…shut up, 'kay? Or I’ll make you have a headache, just like me.”

With your warning set in place, you dropped your arm with a huff and proceeded to move back to your room, sniffling and wrapping the blanket tighter around you as you went.

Lady and Dante looked at each other before staring back at the spot you had just disappeared from.

“You’re teaching your daughter too much, and none of it good.”

“Yeah, but you’ve gotta love her creativity. I’m just glad I haven’t taught her how to aim properly, and that the Squirt knows the courtesy of a warning shot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! Please, let me know what you think!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	3. Hide & Seek (4 yrs.)

All Dante had wanted to do was take you out for some ice cream, since you had been so good while he was away on business. You had even cleaned your room in his absence, something of which he felt needed to be commended with a sweet treat. Your little celebration, however, was thrown out the window with the presence of a group of what appeared to be reptilian-like demons coming out from the shadows, nearly eight feet of plated scales and hissing threateningly.

Dante looked up at you from your perch upon his shoulders, relieved to find that you were mostly unfazed by the hissing coming from the creatures. It seemed you were getting used to the sudden and often times random appearance of demons, something he was pretty sure wasn’t the best thing in the world, but at least you weren’t always scared.

“Hey, Squirt, how about we play a little round of _Hide and Seek_ before we get our treats?”

You gasped excitedly and looked down at your father, eyes alight with excitement at the prospect of the game.

“Do the, um…the snake people get to play, too, Daddy?”

Dante couldn’t help but smile at your innocent question as he reached upward and wound his arm around your tiny form. He then plucked you from your resting place and proceeded to set you gently on the ground, kneeling beside you while reaching for the hilt of Rebellion in preparation for the fight to come.

“Of course they do! It wouldn’t be a proper game without them. Now, here are the rules: if they find you, the shop is base; if they catch you, no dessert for a week.”

“A week?!”

It may have been a bit cruel to use a punishment against you in such a situation, but Dante wanted to ensure you would hide to the best of your ability. The last thing he wanted was for you to get hurt.

"A whole week,” he reiterated.

“But, that’s forever!”

“No buts, Squirt. Ready to play?”

You weren’t very happy with the second rule, but the thought of playing a game with your father outweighed the disinterest in the rules. So, with a determined look, you gave a vigorous nod of your head in acceptance to the consequences of losing the game.

“Do I get a prize?”

Dante placed a finger to his chin as if in deep thought before giving one of his devilish smiles. “If you win, how’s about…two sundaes and a big cookie, just for Daddy’s Little Devil.”

Your eyes were wide with wonder at the possible idea of such sweet delicacies; you could almost taste the ice cream dripping with chocolate and strawberry sauce as you bit into a large chocolate chip cookie. You were definitely giving your all for such a reward.

Dante stood then, drawing Rebellion from its place on his back and giving it a twirl as the reptilian demons moved closer, their beady eyes drawn to you. They had already deemed you the weakest and possibly easiest to swarm without much of a fight.

He dared them to try.

“Alright, fellas,” Dante said, pointing Rebellion out toward the group of demons and sweeping its blade through the air, “the name of the game is _Hide and Seek_. I expect each and every one of you to play fairly. Now, Squirt, you’ve got thirty seconds to hide. And…go!”

With a delighted squeal, you began running in the opposite direction of which you and your father had previously been going, listening as the hisses and gurgles of the demons lessened in volume just by rounding the corner. You rounded yet another corner before finding a dumpster just peaking from outside a darkened alleyway and figured it would be the best place to hide.

As soon as you hid behind the large object, pulling your knees to your chest and ducking your head to make yourself as small and unseen as possible, a large clanking sound emanated from above, and it took all your willpower to keep as still as possible. Hissing soon followed, and you were sure that the demon had found you, but you were too stubborn to move lest it _truly_ found you.

“Hey, Ugly! I believe I said _thirty_ seconds; you’re five seconds early, and in the rule book, that’s considered cheating.”

There was a thud as the demon jumped down from on top of the dumpster to the concrete ground, and within a matter of seconds, its hissing and gurgling soon ceased completely.

With slow movements, you looked up and somewhat around the edge of the large dumpster, seeing the back of your father’s coat as he made to leave the alleyway. He stopped abruptly, turning with a flourish before grinning straight at you.

“Found you, squirt! I’ll give you ‘til the count of five before I come after you. One-”

You squealed excitedly once more before jumping up and running out from behind your hiding place, heading straight for the shop. You were vaguely aware of the hissing sounds following you, but they became quieter and quieter as you neared the place you called home, the glowing neon sign just in view and welcoming you back.

Needless to say, that giant cookie tasted just as sweet as you had imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	4. Hoe in the Closet (13 yrs.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My lovely friend, Kyarymell, did a sketch with her interpretation of a child!Reader and Dante. It is far too cute for me to handle! Please, [go check it out, here!](http://kyarymell.tumblr.com/post/183884367451)

You eyed the blonde demon standing before you curiously, watching as she pulled the sunglasses from her eyes and hooked them from the lowest point of her form-fitting corset, which happened to be just between her breasts.

Trish was her name. You only knew this because of a picture you had recently asked your Dad about that had him, Lady, and the demon woman eyeing you up within the frame, a memento of sorts from one of their bigger missions. Lady had apparently caught the moment without the other two’s notice, at the time, as she was the only one smiling and posing with a peace sign held up to the camera.

Just from the picture alone, you had liked the way Trish held herself. Finally meeting her face-to-face, you decided that you liked her even more. She had the right kind of attitude that spoke volumes while at the same time kept you guessing what sort of tricks she might have up her nonexistent sleeves. She was bad-ass and graceful, and you couldn’t help but wonder why your father hadn’t let you meet her any time sooner.

“Well, you must be Dante’s daughter,” she spoke, a smile curling at her lips. “It’s about time I met his ‘ _Little Devil,_ ’ as he likes to call you.”

“That so? Thought you were referring to his _dick_ , there, for a hot second. Knowing him, he’s gotta brag about something.”

Instead of bristling at your comment, the blonde merely laughed as if you had told her quite the joke. You, in turn, cracked a smile, one you had acquired after being around your father for too long.

“My, what a mouth you have! I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Dante’s kid. The name’s Trish.”

“So I’ve heard,” you said. “Now, what brings you to my father’s humble abode?”

“Humble, huh? Well, your dear father has something that I need and has been keeping it from me for a while. Do you suppose you know where it could be?”

You jumped down from your seated position on your father’s desk, long sleeved shirt falling off one of your shoulders with the movement.

“Depends, if it’s money, you’re better off working a corner. Apparently, the one right down the street is good business.”

Trish snickered somewhat this time, reaching forward and flicking your nose with a nicely manicured finger. “You’ve got guts, kid, I’ll give you that. Lesser demons would kill you for even lesser comments.”

You rubbed at your nose with a bit of a narrowed gaze. “Unless you know exactly what it is, I can’t help you.”

Sensing the shift in your mood, Trish took a step back, though her smile remained, perhaps a bit softer than before.

“It’s called the Bellzyne Amulet. It’s blue, a little flashy, and strung with poka-nu beads. He would have brought it back with him roughly a month ago.”

“Oh! That necklace-thingy he keeps on about. Well, last time I saw it, I think it was in his closet or something. Help yourself, but good luck trying to find it.”

“Thanks, kid.”

With that, Trish turned and made her way up the stairs of the shop, her hips naturally sashaying and heeled boots clicking against the wooden floor as she moved.

You watched her as she made her way to Dante’s room, a small smile coming back to your face. She was definitely an interesting character, and so cool to your younger eyes. Maybe you’d be lucky enough to work with her, someday.

Just as you leaned against your father’s desk, you were greeted by the man himself entering the building, smiling as big as the Cheshire cat. It was rather obvious that his job went well.

“Dad, you’re back early!” you exclaimed as you ran forward and wrapped your arms around the leather-clad man, gaining a one-armed hug in return.

You looked up, confused, before spotting the slash in your father’s coat, revealing one nasty looking wound on his upper arm. Usually, his body would heal up completely before coming home, courtesy of the demon side within him, but this time, it looked like some kind of residue was keeping him from healing.

“It’s nothing much,” he assured you with a one-armed shrug, the gunk sticking to his wound seemingly numbing the entire limb from moving. “Think you can give your old man a hand or two?”

Lucky for him, as you had been reading up on some things in your free time outside of school, and you knew just what to do to counteract whatever poison was keeping him from healing properly. You were quick to grab his good arm and gave it a tug.

“So, did you enjoy the house to yourself, Squirt?”

You laughed as you led your father into the bathroom, taking out an antiseptic, gauze, and a small little vile of some sort of purple paste you were able to create with Lady’s help. If the recipe had been correct, it would nullify any toxins left behind.

“Yup, I enjoyed it. Read a few books, watched a few movies. Lady came by and made sure I was doing my homework and eating other things besides leftover pizza. Oh, by the way, you have a hoe in your closet.”

Dante stopped suddenly, taken aback at what you had said, clearly confused by your context. He then began to snicker, followed by a chuckle, and then a full out laugh until you were sure he would fall to the floor any moment in tears.

“That mouth on your child is absolutely horrid! It’s like she’s you made over.”

Dante turned to find Trish at the bathroom door, eyes landing on the Bellzyne Amulet dangling from her fingertips, before going into fits of laughter again.

Well, at least your father got a kick out of your humor. He had a hand with creating it, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	5. Afraid of Something (4 yrs.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another awesome friend of mine, @mysticalkhfan on Tumblr, did her own drawing of a scene from chapter 3. I absolutely adore her rendition of little Reader! Please, [go check out her art, here!](https://mysticalkhfan.tumblr.com/post/183903118732/heyo-im-loving-a-fic-by-a-very-talented-friend)

You whimpered as lightning lit up the pitch black sky for what seemed like the hundredth time, the thunder soon following and rippling through the sound barrier violently, close enough that it had your bedroom windows vibrating slightly with the unseen force. You were sure you had never been this scared before in your life. You wanted so badly to run to your father, but your fear kept you from enacting that wish.

Things changed, however, when one of the loudest crashes of the night echoed from outside, shaking the windows something fierce with its clapping rumble. You yelped in fear, grabbed your teddy bear, and ran straight out of your room and towards your father’s own.

He would keep you safe. He wasn’t afraid of anything.

As you reached his closed door, your child-like sheepishness kicked in for the briefest of moments, making your actions hesitant as you turned the doorknob and peeked inside. From where you stood, you were able to make out your father’s form lying on the bed, his body partially covered in a light blanket. You stepped in cautiously, tugging your stuffed teddy bear closer to your chest as you closed the door to just a crack behind you.

Once again, the sky lit up with lightning, and the rumble that followed after had you running to the bed and awkwardly climbing up it to curl up next to your father, who had heard you the moment you ran from your room.

Dante’s first reaction was to reach out and pull you closer, his blue eyes looking over your shaking form before gazing out his own window at the quickly traveling rivulets of water trailing down the glass pane.

“The rain got you riled up, Squirt?”

You looked up sheepishly at your father, giving a little nod before resting your head in the crook between his shoulder and arm. Dante smiled warmly at you, turning a bit more onto his side so that he could hold you closer. He was easily able to gently card his fingers through your silver locks at that angle,

“It’s just rain; it comes, and it goes. It won’t hurt you.”

“But it’s…it’s scary! The bright lights make monsters in m-my room and…and I c-can’t sleep ‘cause the n-noise is too loud, and…and-”

Dante shushed you as he sat up and pulled you into his lap, trying his best to keep you from crying. You were already close to tears, and he couldn’t stand the sight. He always felt helpless when you cried, like he wasn’t doing his job of being a dad good enough to make you happy, and it unnerved him in the most human way.

“What if I told you that everyone is afraid of something?”

You sniffled as you looked up at Dante, rubbing your face against your teddy bear to rid your eyes of the tears that had formed.

“E-everyone?”

“Yes, everyone. Why, your uncle used to be afraid of spiders.”

This time, you hiccupped, giving a little smile as your eyes focused more on your father. “You mean Uncle V?

“Yeah, Uncle V. He would cry at the very sight of them! I used to search for the jumping ones and would throw them in his hair. He would scream and run away every time!”

You couldn’t help but giggle at such a story, hardly believing that your uncle was like that, especially after the stories your father had told you of his strength and determination.

Speaking of stories….

“Daddy, can you tell me a story. Please?”

Dante gave a playful smirk, reaching up to rub at his chin as if thinking over your request.

“Well, I don’t know. After all, you should be back in bed-”

“Pretty, pretty please? Please, please, _pretty please_!?”

Dante’s smirk fell into an easy smile at the big puppy eyes and pouting lips you gave him. Honestly, you were absolutely adorable when you were trying to get things your way, and there was no denying that you had him wrapped around your little fingers.

“Alright, Squirt, one story, and then it’s back to bed.”

He proceeded to tell you a story that related to his line of work, partly true and partly fabricated to keep the more macabre details to a minimum. You were still iffy with some of the things he had to do as a demon hunter, but you had nothing to worry about, as your father was sure to take care of any demonic threats first thing they were even within a mile of touching you.

As the story progressed, you felt your eyes begin to droop, and the storm was long forgotten in a tale of bloodbath and a damsel in distress. You did your best to keep them open until the very end, and you were successful, much to Dante’s surprise.

“There, now, time for little girls to get to their own beds.”

He proceeded to pick you up and cradled you in his arms as he carried you out of his room and to your own. Once inside, he gently placed you on the mattress and pulled the covers snuggly around you. He even made sure that you had easy access to your stuffed bear which lay just a breath away from your comfortable form.

Dante leaned forward and kissed your forehead, turning to walk back to his own room, when you spoke in a light, sleep-laced tone.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, Squirt?”

“Are you afraid of someth’n, too?”

Dante paused, looking back at your swaddled form lying in bed. He should have expected the question; after all, he had been the one to insinuate such a thing.

“It may be hard to believe, but…yeah, I’m afraid of something.”

“What…is it?”

He waited and watched as your eyes began to droop once more before, not but a minute later, they were completely closed, and you were sound asleep. Dante waited in the entrance of your bedroom for a few minutes longer, watching you sleep soundly despite the rain still pouring outside. At least he was able to resolve your fears.

As long as he lived, however, his fear would never cease. He had thought he lost you once before, and he would be damned if it happened, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	6. What Was Momma Like? (10 yrs.)

“What was Momma like?”

Dante nearly choked on his pizza at the barely spoken words, his wide blue eyes focusing on your down-turned ones.

The night had started out like any other; he came in, you attacked him with hugs, and the both of you went to his desk and began talking about random nonsense while eating a fresh pizza he had ordered for the both of you to share. When you had gone quiet rather suddenly, he began watching you with a close eye, feeling that something was up.

And then came the question he definitely wasn’t expecting.

“What brought this up?”

He was honestly surprised. Ever since you had learned how to talk fluently, you had never once asked about your mother; he had assumed you weren’t that interested or didn’t realize that you had ever had one. Now that the question had come up, he wanted to know why you were suddenly so curious.

He watched as you fidgeted under his gaze, your half-eaten slice of pizza forgotten as you placed it back inside the box. With a heavy sigh and a slightly shaking hand, you reached into your back pocket and pulled out a picture, taking a long look at it before giving it to your dad.

Dante leaned forward in his chair and took the picture from your hand. If he had been surprised at your question, then he was completely stunned at what he saw staring back at him.

There were three people in the photo, his younger visage staring back at him from the back of the image. Standing just before him was a beautiful woman with a bright smile, and in her arms was the bundled form of a baby girl, her tiny hands reaching up to grab at her mother’s hair.

Dante could remember that day as if it had just happened hours ago.

“Where did you get this?”

You looked up only to quickly look back down, nervously shifting on your feet. “I was looking for my doll in your room because I couldn’t find it anywhere else. I found it when I looked under the bed. I think it was under a box that I moved.”

You smiled this time, an odd reaction to the suddenly serious atmosphere, and looked up at your father. “I didn’t know why, but that photo…it made me happy. It was like Momma’s smile made me want to smile, too.”

“How do you know this is your mother?”

“I didn’t, not at first. But it’s the only picture I’ve seen with you and another lady, like this. And when I saw myself in the mirror today, I noticed that we looked a lot alike. Our eyes are the same.”

Dante looked up and noticed your smile. His lips quirked up somewhat at your serene image, and he was reminded of the same smile that he fell for so many years ago.

“Yeah, you look a lot like your mom. She loved you so much….”

He looked back down at the photo, his thumb tracing over the image of your mother. He had not been married to the woman, nor had they started out in a serious relationship. It was meant to be one of those one-time things, except it continued to happen. In the end, they had both decided to try out a relationship, and it wasn’t a month later that you were conceived.

Dante could still remember how scared she had been when she found out she was pregnant; he’d admit that he was completely thrown for a loop when she told him. He never had pictured himself to be the father type, yet as he looked back up at you, he couldn’t believe how far he had come. He only wished she could have had the chance to raise the wonderful girl that you were.

“Her name was Serenity,” he started, “she was kind, and quite the firecracker, when she wanted to be. She loved being outside in the sun.”

“Kinda like me?” you questioned with a hopeful lilt to your voice.

Dante chuckled lightly at seeing your eyes fill with wonder.

“Yeah, exactly like you. She was really sporty, always loved playing games. Her favorite thing was swimming, though. I used to think she was a fish or something.”

“Maybe she was a mermaid!”

“Heh, maybe so.”

Dante continued to talk about your mother and answered as many questions as he knew the answers to, and you had quite a few to throw his way. You went through questions about her favorite color to what her personality was like and her favorite things to do. You covered every topic your mind could think up, and just when he thought you were finished, you asked the one question he was hoping to avoid.

“How…how did she die?”

Dante sighed as he kicked back in his chair, forcing you to fall forward with him; during the time you had asked so many questions, you had moved to your father’s lap in child-like wonder. You now lay against him, looking up with questioning eyes as one of his hands rubbed against your back as both a means of comfort for you as well as grounding him in the moment.

“She was sick, Squirt, very sick. It was so bad that for her last two weeks, she could barely get out of bed. I had to pick her up and bring her places because she didn’t have the strength to stand.”

What he failed to mention was that she had gotten sick shortly after you had been born. There was no need for you to think that you were the cause behind such happenings. If anything, you had helped her in more ways than you could ever imagine.

“You were five months old when she passed away.”

There was a moment of silence that followed his words, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as he thought it should have been.

“I wish I could remember her like you do, Daddy,” you spoke quietly, fingers rubbing against the worn leather of his coat. “Do you wish she was still here with us?”

“Sometimes, because I know she would have loved to watch you grow up. She had always wanted a family of her own.”

“A family like me and you, right?”

Dante smiled as he reached up and tucked some of your silver hair behind your ear, watching as you looked up and smiled back at him. You truly were a wonder, and if your mother were still alive today, she would have enjoyed every minute spent with you, just as he did.

“Exactly like me and you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	7. It's Me or the Olives (15 yrs.)

“Yes.”

“No.”

_“Yes!”_

“No.”

You sighed exasperatedly as you looked up at your father, his serious expression unwavering in the face of your argument. Honestly, the man was acting like a child! You were sure you acted far more mature at age six than he was acting at that very moment.

“Dad, I said yes, and as your _daughter_ , I believe I have a right in such matters.”

“Squirt, I said no, and as your _father_ , what I say goes.”

“Since when?! Just because you think you’re so bad-ass and can kill demons without getting as busted up as some of us doesn’t make you all high-and-mighty.”

“Watch your mouth, young lady,” he chastised while crossing his arms, his attempt at seeming much more the intimidating parent. “The last thing I need is Lady on my ass about your language and how bad an influence I am on you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pizza to order!”

You let loose a frustrated growl as Dante walked off, that stupid, smug smirk of his plastered on his face as he turned away from you and moved down the stairs toward the phone at his desk.

Honestly, he was being such a jerk about the whole thing. All you wanted was for half the pizza to have olives, but your father was being such an ass about the whole thing, going so far as threatening to ban you from your bi-weekly sparing sessions with Lady and/or Trish (when the blonde demon was actually available). You had no idea that he despised the things to this level of disgust; you didn’t even know it was possible!

He was playing dirty, using the familial hierarchy against you, but you knew how to get even dirtier.

With quick steps, you stormed down the stairs and into the open office area, watching as your father grasped for the phone. You quickly reached towards your gun holster and pulled out Rein, your newly acquired handgun, and pointed the barrel in your father’s direction.

“Don’t even think about it, old man.”

Dante paused just as his fingers grazed the worn handle, looking over his shoulder and straight over the barrel of Rein to meet your eyes. You could tell just by the laugh in those baby blues of his that he found your display rather humorous. His amusement only served to irk you even further.

“Well, look at this! My own daughter, trying to talk me down at gunpoint. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Surely you did, at least once,” you offered conversationally before narrowing your gaze. “Now, if you don’t want a bullet or five in your brain, I suggest you step away from the phone.”

Your threat merely made Dante laugh boisterously, so much so that for a second you could have sworn that you heard his echo resonate within the shop. He then wiped at his eyes as if practically in tears and gave an almost too-saucy smirk.

“I don’t think you have the guts to do such a thing, Squirt.”

“Really, now? Go ahead, _try me_.”

Dante watched you with still-smiling eyes, though he was being quite critical in his search. As far as he could tell, you were, indeed, as serious as one could get, and though he was quite proud that you had gained his stubbornness, he was not so thrilled that it was directed at him.

“Well, you drive a hard bargain,” he said with an unassuming shrug of his shoulders as he moved away from his desk, his boots clunking against the wooden floorboards as if attempting to be ominous in some way. You, however, were unfazed by such a display of arrogance, easily keeping your father within your line of sight down Rein’s barrel in case he made a move.

You loved your father dearly, but damnit, you were going to get your way, this time!

“Tell ya what, I’ll let you call the order in.”

As tempting as it was to react to such a statement, you kept your features neutral, your hold on Rein unwavering. Dante was looking for a reaction, and you weren’t about to give him the satisfaction of receiving one.

“What’s the catch?”

“Oh, no catch, really.”

“So…your letting me choose?”

Dante stopped just before you and reached out quickly. As a reflex, you shot Rein, but Dante was quick enough to grab your wrist and divert your aim to just beside his face. He smirked yet again, leaning forward as if whispering a deep dark secret.

“No, more like I’m giving you an option. The way I see it, it’s either me, your dear ol’ pop, or those nasty little roaches you like to spoil your food with.”

He let go of your wrist and stepped back a few paces, arrogantly throwing his hands to the side as if he had won.

“It’s me or the olives, Squirt, so choose!”

Your eyes widened momentarily as you looked down, the shock on your face rather uplifting to Dante. He knew he had won as soon as you decided to play this little game with him; the odds were in his favor. Stubborn as you may have been, you loved him so very much. Sure, you bickered quite often, but it was all playful fun between father and daughter. You would never do anything that would step out of the line against him, and he was confident his thinly veiled threat would sway you.

That thought, however, was shot out the window as soon as you looked up, narrowed your eyes, and gave your own little smirk that rivaled his own.

Heh, he fell right into your trap.

\---

You laughed lightly as you propped your feet up on your father’s desk while leaning back in his worn leather chair, biting into your third slice of extra pepperoni, extra cheese, extra _olive_ coated pizza.

“C’mon, Squirt, let me back in the shop! Whatever happened to Daddy’s Little Devil?”

You laughed yet again as you looked at the door in amusement. Oh, you both knew that he could break it down, but he was on a strict “four doors a month” program, and he had already wasted three in the first two weeks.

“You know that I lost that title as soon as you decided that putting yourself up for an option was a good idea,” you shouted, snickering as he banged his fist against the thick wooden surface blocking him from entering his own shop. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pizza to enjoy!”

You could only imagine your father’s sulking face.

It was good to get what you wanted, from time to time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! Please, let me know what you guys think of the series, so far!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	8. Daddy's Red Coat (11 yrs.)

You slowly peeked around the corner from the top of the stairs, brushing silver hair from your face as you looked around with a careful eye.

From what you could see, your father wasn’t in the main room, nor could you hear him in the back area where the tiny kitchen resided. Rebellion, however, was propped against his desk, meaning either he had just made it home or planned on going back out. Seeing as how it was behind the desk, though, he was probably staying home for a while.

What you needed to know was where his exact location was at that moment-

Your eyes darted to the closed bathroom door as the sound of rushing water hitting smooth ceramic tile became clear.

Ah, so _that_ was where he went….

Smiling to yourself almost wickedly, you began to hatch the perfect plan in your mind, one you thought to be full-proof to get what you wanted without him knowing.

You waited for another long minute before rushing down the stairs and into the main room, frantically looking over stuff on his desk, but not paying much mind to what exactly was there. You then moved to the couch and ripped off the cushions as if looking for something important. You even went so far as going into the kitchen and knocking a few things over, knowing full well your father could hear the ruckus, even with the shower running.

Once you were sure your destruction of the shop was optimal, you rushed back into the main room and towards the closed bathroom, giving a frantic pounding to the slightly beaten wooden door.

“Daddy! Daddy, I can’t find my doll! I can’t find her anywhere! Have you seen her?”

There was a slight _thud_ followed by a curse or two before Dante’s muffled reply came. “Have you checked the couch?”

“Yes, she’s not there!”

“What about the de-“

“I checked everywhere! I think I lost her!”

“Did you look in my room? She likes to _disappear_ in there.”

You paused and gave a smirk your father would be proud of before running back up the stairs and straight into Dante’s room, relieved and excited that your plan had actually worked. If you hadn’t gone through all of that trouble, he would have questioned why you had gone into his room without him being there. Now, you had a “reason” to be there, and you would be in and out with plenty of time to spare, “lost” doll in-hand.

Now, for the _real_ reason for getting into your father’s room….

Once again, you let your eyes wander the slightly darkened room for the object of your desire, a giddy smile coming to your lips at seeing the red leather trench coat hanging from one of the pegs on the bed. Glancing behind you down the stairs to make sure your father was still in the bathroom, you made your way quietly into the room towards the bed, reaching out to gingerly pluck the coat from its perch. The heavy leather fell over your arms and overflowed limply to the floor, creating a pool of dusty, worn crimson fabric around your body.

Your father always wore this coat, and you had seen and touched it many times before, but never had you held it in your arms to marvel at the splendor of it. You could make out the small nicks and tears along its length as well as several bullet holes at the tail and back. Touching each one softly, you couldn’t help but notice that there was more of a subtle softness around these areas than anywhere else along the coat.

There was no doubt about it – you were absolutely ecstatic to be holding your father’s coat, the one he wore more than anything else and was best known for, and the one that your eager 11-year-old mind couldn’t stop thinking about.

With a small, ecstatic squeal, you held up the coat and threw the opened end over your back, looping your arms into the sleeves until just your fingertips poked out at the arm openings. Well, you were still too small to fit in it, as the tail ends were bunched and dragging the ground and the heavy fabric all but swallowed your smaller form, but at that moment it didn’t matter in the least.

You were _wearing your father’s coat!_

You had only imagined this moment for all of forever, and now you were actually wearing it! You felt like one bad-ass girl now, more so than when Dante let you practice with his guns. Speaking of guns….

Perched in the exact same place within their holsters, having been hidden by the coat, were the next objects of your desire. You grinned devilishly and pulled out both Ebony and Ivory, carefully handling them within your hands and marveling at the engravings against cool black and silver as if they were the biggest cookies your eyes had ever laid eyes upon.

And you thought you felt bad-ass before!

You gave a small giggle as you began posing with the accessories in-hand, going so far as twirling the twin guns on your finger before quickly and easily catching them correctly and freezing into yet another pose. The moment was made even better by the fact that your father had a full-length mirror against the wall, allowing you to see yourself as you moved from position to position. You were having so much fun! The only thing that would have made this any better would be having a camera to take pictures of such awesome poses.

“I had a feeling you were up to something.”

Surprised, you screamed at the sudden voice and spun around in a flourish, accidentally pulling both triggers and shooting at the figure standing in the doorway. The shots surprised you more into closing your eyes, but once you peeked through them, you saw your father standing there with a smile on his face, both shots embedded in the wooden frame on either side of him. You gave a wide, innocent look, slowly reaching both guns and hands behind your back as if to hide them from your father’s view.

“Uh…hi, Daddy! I, um…I found my doll!”

“And my guns, it looks like. If you wanted to practice, you could have asked me after I was done getting cleaned up.”

Dante moved forward and gently took the weapons from your hands, flipping the safety back in place, of which you must have accidentally undone, and replacing them in their respective holsters before reaching down and picking you up. He gave you a once over to make sure you were okay and hadn’t been affected by the shots, eyeing his coat slung over your small form a moment later.

“Red looks good on you, Squirt. Give it a few years and I’ll get you your own.”

With an excited gasp, you smiled brightly and tightly wrapped your arms around your father’s neck, jumping up and down just a bit in his hold.

“I want one just like yours! With the holes at the bottom and the tears at the top!”

Dante chuckled lightly before heading downstairs.

“Let’s hope those holes and tears don’t come until I’m good and gone, Squirt, or I might have to put them in the heads of the ones who made them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	9. Meeting a New Devil (19 yrs.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Been a hot minute, hasn’t it? Had some IRL stuff come up, but I’m back to bringing you some wholesome content! This chapter is the first of five separate ones that continues on a singular story within the same universe, so keep your eyes peeled for chapters labeled with the reader being 19 yrs. of age.

How dare he leave you behind! Honestly, how could he do such a thing, especially to his own daughter?!

It wasn’t the fact that you couldn’t take care of yourself, because you could handle a whole swarm of demons without so much as breaking a sweat. What you were pissed off about was the fact that he left you behind to take handle the leader of a shit organization on his own, something you had wanted to show him up in once the both of you had arrived.

You looked around the streets, seeing that they were rather empty for such a large city in the middle of nowhere. There were signs that demons had been running about; the smell alone was enough of a giveaway, leaving the air scented with a sharp, acrid stench that most demons carried with them.

Thank whatever deity above that you were half human.

A sudden uproar coming just from the north caught your attention, your eyes narrowing dangerously at the sounds of demons approaching from all around with the ruckus. You began running in the direction of the commotion, anger fueling your drive to get there as quickly as possible.

“Damnit, he beat me to him!”

\---

The place of worship wasn’t too hard to locate, nor was it hard to gain entry, easily finding your father’s choice of barging into the place through the glass ceiling like the dramatic asshole he was. You slipped in without a sound behind the massive statue that took up much of the front area, being careful to remain hidden until you had a better view of what was happening below.

If you remembered correctly, it was a statue of the demon, Sparda, which happened to be your father’s father, your grandfather. It had never really fazed you that you had part demon blood running through your veins, having grown up with all sorts of odd happenings. It came as no surprise that you inherited some specific abilities from your demonic side, such as advanced healing, speed, and agility, though as far as a Devil Trigger, well...

Honestly, you weren’t sure if you wanted to know what that was like.

Shaking those thoughts from your head, you peeked around the mass of the statue’s smooth surface, just able to hear the sound of glass being crushed beneath heavy boots. As you turned minutely further from your position, a head of silver-white hair came into view.

_‘Gotcha now, you bastard!’_

With a shout of rage, you leaped from your perch and caught the half devil by surprise by bodily rolling him to the ground, pulling out your first-handgun, Rein, and pointing it at his head while grabbing a handful the front of his wardrobe.

“Ha! You messed up you old…huh?”

Clear blue eyes stared up at you as you stared down at the half-demon –perhaps not half demon, though the young man did have some sort of demonic blood within him – lying beneath you, an equal amount of shock written upon both of your faces. This…this was _not_ your father, but rather another half-demon that had a strikingly similar appearance.

There was a moment of awkward silence where you both stared at each other longer than was necessary before the young man cleared his throat.

“If you’re not planning on shooting me, do you mind, uh…you know, getting off me?”

“Uh, yeah, right,” you agreed, holding out Rein in a show of surrender and backing off as you stood, holstering your gun and offering a hand. He seemed hesitant but took the offered help.

“Sorry about that. I thought you were someone else. I swear I’m not as trigger-happy as I made myself seem.”

“Right. So, who the hell are you? I don’t recall seeing you around these parts.”

You raised your chin up a fraction, debating on if you should give an alias or just be truthful. All the while, he watched you carefully, most likely to ensure you would try and pull a fast one on him. He was smart, and very much aware that you seemed capable of doing such a thing.

With a small grin, you gave him your name, prompting him shortly after for his own.

He, too, had paused, perhaps thinking the same things you had just mentally worked through before giving out a hesitant, “Nero.”

“Nero? Nice name,” you said with a sincere smile, placing a hand on your hip as you looked about the place of worship. Nero seemed to be frowning a bit, though you weren’t sure if it was because of your presence or if he was as angry as his eyes suggested.

“Why are you here? I don’t recognize you, unless you’re from the Order.”

Your eyes nearly lit up at the mention of the group you and your father were here to locate, though your gaze remained neutral as you seemingly pondered his words.

“The Order? Don’t have any idea what that is. I’m actually on the hunt for a man, at the moment. Kinda tall, silver-white hair, red leather trench coat and a cocky-ass attitude that makes you just wanna scream.”

“That bastard was here, alright,” Nero recalled with some grit, a bit more open now that you were possibly of some help. “He killed someone important to the people of this place, too.”

Yep, that anger was definitely not directed at you. In all honesty, you didn’t blame the guy, but there were obviously things he didn’t know about what was truly going on behind the scenes. Plus, you technically didn’t do anything wrong, even though you would have been more than ready to pull the trigger. Your father, however, had been a little more eager and had apparently blown the guy’s brains out in front of the whole service.

Maybe it was better that you hadn’t been here, first, after all.

“Well, Nero, looks like we’re after the same man. And now that we’re on as good of terms as first meetings go, I’ve got a proposition for you.”

His eyes narrowed slightly as you moved closer, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Keep talking.”

“Let’s just say that my navigation skills aren’t as good as they were when I was little, and this place is much bigger than I expected. I say we team up to catch this asshole, and I promise you can have the first shot at him. Not in the head, though, that’s for me.”

As you laid out your cards on the proverbial table, you held out a gloved hand to Nero, giving a little smirk of a smile as you tilted your head to the side.

“So, what do you say?”

Nero studied you for a moment, possibly contemplating your words and trying to gage if you were being truthful. Whatever he was looking for in your gaze, he must have found it, because next thing you knew his hand was clasped against yours as the deal was made.

“You’ve got a deal.”

“With a devil of a man, it seems.”

At that, Nero gave you a surprised, questioning gaze before a small group of people clad in white suits came rushing in, one of them a young woman calling out to Nero worriedly.

Well, it was turning out to be the start of one hell of an adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! Please, let me know what you think! Give me that extra motivation!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	10. Just Like You (Newborn)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get a little peek at the woman who gave Dante a daughter. :'D
> 
> Just wanna give you guys a special thank you for leaving such lovely comments. It really means so much to me to hear your feedback!

If someone were to ask Dante if he had ever been scared shitless before, the half-devil would have turned on that person with a bit of a scoff, a cocky smile on his face and arms crossed before him.

“Nah, I’d like to think I’ve seen enough hell on earth. Can’t be too scared if you already know the worst things out there.”

His answer would be just vague enough to get anyone off his back without them delving too much into what exactly he meant. It was hard to really express how he was actually the son of a demon who, in a twist no one would have seen coming, actually fought off hell spawn from time to time.

He was cocky, perhaps a little too sure of himself more often than not, and he was constantly way in over his head just to have some sort of a good time. Being scared sort of wasn’t on his agenda, nor did it have any place in his young, reckless life.

He couldn’t lie, however, about the pang of uncertainty he had when Serenity, his recent girlfriend of only a month and lover for nearly four before that, suddenly became pregnant with his child. He’d been so caught off-guard with the information that he had immediately questioned if the child was actually his, a question Serenity had taken in stride.

Of course, it was his. She had been invested in him since their first two weeks of messing around, and she wasn’t the type to sleep around, not when they had both basically been in an unofficial relationship nearly the entire time they had been meeting up.

After the initial shock wore off, Dante couldn’t help but entertain the thought of family life. A part of him was actually okay with the notion, even if he was barely considered an adult, at the time. Granted, he didn’t have the slightest clue as to how much of a good parent he could reasonably be, but he knew that Serenity had her own doubts about becoming a mother, and it eased him somewhat.

It would be a new experience they could share together, and though he was sure he would dread the first few years of a messy, crying, whining baby, Dante knew when it was time to man up and be responsible for his actions.

So, he stayed with Serenity through the whole thing, battling her mood swings, her odd cravings, and her on-again, off-again insatiable need for intimacy. At the end of the day, he was always rewarded with the sweetest smile and the brightest of glowing faces that would have any man dropping to his knees in wonder.

There were days he watched Serenity eat her weird foods as he munched down on pizza, and there were also days he watched her do nothing but talk to her stomach in such a lovely, low voice that he more often than not found himself drawn into the one-sided conversation between mother and child. He also had days where he would find her in the bathroom, flushed and horribly sick before the day began, and days where it was hard for her to get out of bed, she was becoming so sore from the extra weight.

No, he wasn’t afraid, not when he had the support of his partner. Even the bad days always had a silver lining, one that Serenity would always point out to him – they would soon get to meet their child.

It was then that Dante realized just how brave Serenity truly was.

When she had first told him about the pregnancy, she was unbelievably anxious and close to tears, afraid at first that Dante would not accept her or the baby. After that initial anxiety, however, she had embraced the concept of motherhood wholeheartedly and with a force that a true parent would be proud of.

She handled each step of the pregnancy so well, too. From her morning sickness to her odd eating habits; from the ultrasound that showed she was having a girl to the baby’s first kick, to finally finishing the nursery in their dinky little apartment, she took everything in perfect stride and welcomed it with open arms.

Even when she went into labor, she had paced herself and took to upcoming motherhood with pride. Dante, however, could mark that moment as one of the most terrifying evenings in his life.

It had happened so fast; they had both been walking back to her place, their _home_ , when Serenity had stopped suddenly with her hands pressed against her bulging stomach. He remembered her soft gasp, the twist of pain that marred her face as she looked up at him with wide eyes. She had barely uttered his name before he had her in his arms, rushing them to the nearest hospital.

(Later, when she had been fully admitted into the hospital, Serenity had confessed that she was aware of her contractions since earlier that afternoon. She had read somewhere that she would have quite a bit of time before the baby’s arrival once they started, so an evening out wouldn’t have hurt anything, so long as she continued to keep track of the time between contractions. That moment walking home was the first time they had truly hurt, and while they still would have had time to get to a hospital had they gone home to grab her prepped baby bag, she was grateful for Dante’s swift action.)

When it came time for the baby to arrive, Dante couldn’t bring himself to be in the room with Serenity. There were already too many people in the room, counting the doctor and three other nurses, and he felt he would possibly turn on any one of them if she had so much as made the notion that they were causing her pain.

Her following screams an hour later were a testament to his hypothetical actions, and he was very nearly escorted out of the hospital to ensure the safety of the staff. If he remembered correctly, she had decided to refuse any medicinal help; he really wished she had, if not for the safety of those around him than for his own sanity.

As soon as her screams had started, they had also stopped, and for a fleeting moment, Dante felt something stir within him that wanted out, a feeling of absolute blinding fear and rage he had been able to feel coursing through his veins.

Tiny little cries and the elated tone of the doctor’s voice on the success of the birth had eased that feeling, and a new one began to take its place.

Serenity looked absolutely stunning despite her exhausted state when he was finally able to enter the room. The glow she carried when she was pregnant was nothing compared to the radiance she emitted at that moment with the little bundle of life cuddled in her arms.

She had looked up right away at Dante and gave him a tired, beaming smile, holding out one of her hands to him. He moved closer and took hold of her hand gingerly while sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, his eyes instantly falling to the swaddled form she held.

You were still a bit red and swollen, just as any newborn would be, with a shock of silver-white hair topping your little head. One hand peaked over the blanket and had a constant motion of slowly clenching and unclenching around the powdery purple fabric. He was completely taken by surprise at how much you resembled Serenity.

“She looks just like you,” he murmured, leaning forward and giving a light kiss to Serenity’s forehead. She smiled and shifted a little, sitting up more as she carefully began to hold out your fragile form to Dante.

“She has your nose when you get a closer look at her.  Go on, take her.”

Dante was surprisingly hesitant on holding you, afraid that he would hurt you somehow. He hadn’t expected to be a father; he didn’t even know how to be one, after all.

Serenity urged him gently, however, and within a matter of moments, he was holding you, his baby girl…his _daughter_.

At the shift in position, your eyes popped open, a wide look crossing your chubby features as you stared up at Dante with a not-so-easy-to-define expression. Your eyes were blue, as most any baby’s eyes were when first born, but they would change, over time. Dante hoped they would be just as stunning as your mother’s own.

“Well, the squirt’s got my hair, at least. Not banking as much on my rugged good looks, though.”

Serenity laughed lightly as she leaned back and relaxed, her exhaustion kicking in full-force now that she knew Dante was here to help with you. She could already tell that Dante was already quite attached to you, and it eased her mind knowing that he was committed to being a father, just as she to a mother. With a small smile of adoration, Serenity allowed her eyes to drift closed, falling asleep to both father and daughter interacting.

Dante glanced over at his girlfriend, giving the slightest of smiles at the peaceful look on her face. He then looked back down at your bundled little body, a single arm reaching out from the purple blanket and now thrashing to-and-fro from lack of motor skills. He was fully content with just watching you go at it, your feet kicking lightly in their confined space as your other arm soon found its way out of the soft fabric keeping you warm and comfortable. His face suddenly became serious, though he still held that soft charm he had shown since holding you.

“You listen here, Squirt – I’m your father, and I swear on my own Pops’ grave that I will protect you until you hate me for it. Probably even after that.”

You responded by giving a small kick and a rather extended yawn, bawled up hands rubbing clumsily at suddenly sleepy eyes with jerky, uncoordinated movements. Dante couldn’t help the smile that reached his eyes.

For a moment, any fear he felt had left him to enjoy the peace of his tiny family.

“Glad we can agree.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	11. No Grieving (5 mo.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sad chapter, indeed.

Dante stared out over the sea as the last rays of the sun began to disappear over the horizon. It was a rather lovely view, one he associated with Serenity many times over because of her love for the ocean. That day, however, it was a bittersweet sight.

_“I don’t know why, but I’ve always loved the ocean. I love the water and how it shines different colors in a sunset. I like searching the shoreline for seashells, sand dollars, and starfish – they’re my favorite!”_

Slight gurgling and a small tug on the collar of his jacket pulled Dante from his thoughts and had him looking down at your small form in his arms. Powdery blue eyes on the verge of changing into their true color looked up at him as a big smile lit up your face, an excited squeal following close after at having his attention.

Dante couldn’t help but chuckle at your antics. You were such a little spitfire just as Serenity had predicted you would be. Just like he was, she had told him.

_“I think it’s rather fitting, don’t you? She may look like me, but underneath all that cuteness, she’s a little demon like her father! N-no pun intended, of course, dear.”_

How right she was. Save for that little mop of nearly white hair, you were the exact image of your mother in almost every way. Even if you were only five months old, it was so painfully obvious who your mother was.

It was just a shame that you would never get the chance to know her like he had.

_“She’ll start needing real food when her teeth begin to come in; just make sure you give her soft foods that are small and easy to pick up, and don’t forget to use those teething rings; you’ll be thanking me, later. And when she starts crawling, she’ll most likely get into everything. I know you won’t let her get into too much trouble, though.”_

“There for a while, you talked as if you weren’t even there. Guess you were just preparing both of us for the inevitable.”

Dante sighed as he knelt down with you, setting you down gently upon the sandy shore next to the wooden raft, carefully helping you sit up properly with a steady hand against your back. With the new view, you were quick to reach out and grab a small handful of the soft white fabric adorning the body that lay motionless upon the handmade raft.

Even in death, Serenity was just as lovely as ever.

_“I won’t ask for much, Dante; I’ll let you decided everything when it comes time to…well, you know. Please…let me be near the sea. That’s my only wish.”_

Dante leaned forward and brushed his free hand gently over the side of Serenity’s cool, ashen face. He was aware of your small noises as you patted your small hand against your mother’s arm. He had not wanted to let you see your mother like this, but he felt even in your small state that you needed the closure. You both needed it, in a way.

“Alright Squirt, time to say goodbye.”

Dante scooped you back up and cradled you in one arm as he reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a flip lighter. With easy, precise motions, he was able to light the surrounding wood and flowers on fire, the flames spreading to surround Serenity’s serene form. He then carefully pushed the raft to the edge of the water, watching for a moment as the fire began to surround his lost love like a halo

 He had chosen a place where the water was much deeper but had an easy flow. It was the surest way that she would drift far off into the horizon, allowing the flames to do their work before the sea took her completely.

With a final push, the raft drifted from the shoreline, the water easily catching the wooden frame in its current and bringing it farther and farther out to the horizon. Dante watched with tired eyes as Serenity drifted away with the last rays of light, his gaze watching the diminishing flames until they could no longer be seen.

It was just how Serenity would have wanted it. She was close to the sea, and she had two of her most important people there to watch her become one with the waters she so adored.

_“Let her know how much I love her, alright? And never forget how much I love you.”_

Dante smiled, gave you a kiss atop your fluffy little patch of hair, and walked away, holding you close to his chest to both keep you warm from the cool night air as well as provide himself some comfort with your presence.

As long as he had a little piece of Serenity, he had no reason to grieve.

_“You are both my whole world, Dante. I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect to love.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	12. Open Up the Heart (19 yrs.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact - This fic is roughly 8 years old, and it was around the time that I was just getting into the 4th dmc game. It’s why I have about 5-6 chapters that follow the plot of that particular game. Fresh in my mind, and all.

“You know, my Dad used to tell me this story about when I was younger. He said a man who had been corrupted by a demon took me from him and carried me away to this dark, demonic tower that had risen out of the ground.”

Your eyes roamed over the looming castle and all its cold, icy glory, fully aware of Nero’s clear blue gaze watching you with a careful expression.

It was strange for you to be so open with something so personal that it had taken Dante many years to get over the incident and even longer for him to even tell you what had happened.  Regardless, Fortuna Castle had brought your father’s words to the forefront of your mind, and you couldn’t quite stop the story that tumbled from your lips.

“I was only about a year old, then, and my old man had been hiding me away from the world, afraid he was going to lose me after my mom died. Didn’t really work, I guess, ‘cause I was used as bait to lure my father deeper into the tower in order to complete some demonic ritual or something. Funny thing about it was that the one who had taken me was ordered to by my Dad’s brother, my uncle.”

You paused then, sighing and shaking off a shiver as you continued forward, kicking up some of the snow layering the ground.

It had been so long ago; part of you wished you could have been older so you could remember everything that happened. Dante had been through so much while you were very young, so much pain and distress over you and your mother’s safety, only to lose her and very nearly losing you. Part of you wished you could have been older so that you would have been able to comfort him when he needed it.

He may have played the tough-guy act and knew that persona well, but you knew so much more behind the mask…

“How did that end, for the both of you?”

Surprised, you looked over at Nero who was still focused on the castle ahead, but his tone held interest over what you had told him. You had somehow pulled him into the story; it was only courteous of you to finish what you had started.

“Well, apparently the ritual had been completed after a few false starts of which opened the portal to Hell. Turns out the lackey that took me had planned on betraying my uncle from the start and had used him and my father into gaining entrance to the demon world in hopes of attaining the legendary Sparda’s power. I, at this point, had been stowed away somewhere safe in the tower. My uncle may have been obsessed with obtaining power, but there was a part of him that still cared for family.

“Anyways, my father had to stop this demon of a man, and while he did so, there was this woman who had been after the lackey because it was _her_ father, a whole other story, mind you. In the end, she was able to find me and keep me safe while my father battled both the demon lackey and my uncle, as his goal had been the same.”

Stopping in your tracks, you looked over the castle for a long moment, contemplative.

“My dad won, in the end, but even winning has its prices.”

You paused once more, looking up at Nero and giving a sad, yet bright smile.

“I’ve never known my uncle, because, on that day, my Dad sealed him away beyond the gates of hell.”

Nero frowned at the almost empty look your once glowing eyes had shown. It was obvious the topic, though not embedded in your memory, was rather touchy and a story better left in the past. Despite that, you had continued and told him the whole thing as if it were nothing. You were a much stronger woman than he had initially made you out to be, despite how the both of you had met.

Wind, harsh and biting, blew past suddenly, and you, having already zipped up your coat and lowered the arms that had been rolled up to your elbows, were still affected by the bitter icy touch that found its way through your clothes. You tried to force back a shiver, but your efforts were unsuccessful as the tremor wracked your form.

A burst of warmth engulfed your body without warning, and upon looking up, you were surprised to find Nero much closer than before and without his coat. You wanted to give it back, but he didn’t seem as bothered by the cold as you were.

Well, he certainly was a gentleman.

“I was an orphan when Kyrie and her family took me in, gave me a home. I wondered, for a time, why my parents never wanted me. I figured it was because I was…too different for them to handle.”

He gave an almost shunning look to his right arm, the arm you had noticed he had been trying to hide from your view since having met. It wasn’t too hard to notice, but the way he attempted to keep you on his left, ensuring you didn’t have any view of his right side as if he were afraid it would somehow scare you spoke a lot about his character as well as how he was raised.

You reached out and took hold of his arm, holding steadfast as Nero gave a severe flinch and tried to pull away. You gave the half-demon a determined though calm look and, with a gentle tug, pulled the red sleeve of his hoodie out of the way to reveal the dimly glowing red and blue swirled hide of his arm.

With gentle strokes, you traced the glowing blue lines that seeped into smooth, almost leather-like skin tainted a deep red color. You had known from the start that he was quite different than those demons that had been running rampant throughout the city. He was special, in a sense, and despite what he may have thought of himself for having something others may have feared

“You may be different, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. We all have something that we hide, Nero. But hiding what’s essentially a big part of you…well, it will ultimately be your downfall, and it will never bring you happiness. Embrace what makes you different, and screw the assholes that can’t see you as the person that you are.”

You gave him a smile that bordered on a smirk, completely catching him off guard at the sudden fire that had found its way back to your eyes.

“If that’s the case, then what are you hiding?” Nero asked, his voice shaking ever so slightly.

Once again looking over the scene of the snow-covered Fortuna Castle, you gave a small sigh of apprehension.

“Well, I’m-“

A horrible screeching sound reached both your ears, causing you to flinch and turn toward whatever was making the sound. Just behind you, a cluster of five Frosts had gathered together, seemingly forming for a group attack. You gave a frustrated sound, both from being interrupted and from the intense cold that surrounded you.

You were definitely a summer person, not a winter, and at that moment you just wanted to get this stupid mission over with and be warm in your bed back at home.

“Tell ya what, whoever kills the most Frosts can have the first hit on the bastard we’re after. You game?”

You looked over at Nero who now sported an excited sort of smile that was well on its way to being a full-fledged smirk. You had already given him the first strike as part of your current deal. However, his current challenge was too good of a chance to pass up.

With a smirk of your own, you pulled out Rein and twisted the gun in your hand a few times, catching it by the handle and setting yourself in a fighting stance.

“Time ta rock!”

In the end, you still didn’t have the first hit on your dear old man. As long as you had the last one, you didn’t mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	13. Blood-sucking Fun (7 yrs.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a while! I’ve missed updating this fic, and I hope you guys missed reading it.
> 
> Fun fact: when I first posted this chapter eight or so years ago, it was a Halloween special! I could've waited and skipped this chapter, but there's something nostalgic in keeping the chapters as they are, so you get a little Halloween in July.
> 
> Enjoy, you guys!

Halloween had to be one of your absolute favorite holidays.

It was one of the few times Dante let you out of the house for an extended period of time without him hovering over you like a hawk – you were _eight_ , not _two,_ as you liked to remind him, and since you were obviously almost an adult, you deserved some time to yourself. That didn’t mean you got it, but he at least made the conscious effort to give you some distance on longer outings, if you wanted it, and it made you feel like a grown-up.

Halloween was also a time for you to dress as one of the things your father hunted on a regular basis, and that brought on a whole new wonder of possibilities.

That year, you had decided to go as a Vampire Princess. The costume itself was mostly black and red, consisting of a flared, multi-layered tutu skirt and a top that was fancy looking and frilled at the sleeves. Atop your head rested a beautiful silver tiara with faux gems covering the shining metal. Small red heels suited for children your age adorned your feet, and a pair of specially made snap-in fangs completed the costume.

Make-up wise, Lady had applied a bit of dark eye shadow on your lids, a bit of blush, and deep red lipstick to your small lips. A slight mishap of the red color to the corner of your lips created the illusion of blood coming from your mouth, creating the perfect vampire look, in your opinion.

Dante, however, had simply thought you adorable, which had you pouting. You were supposed to be scary - regal, but scary nonetheless.

As a sort of punishment to your own father, you asked Lady to escort you to the Halloween party you had been invited to by a classmate instead of him; Lady found some sort of sick satisfaction from this and gladly accepted.

You had already been at the party for two hours, and it wasn't supposed to end for another hour or so. Since the announcement of the winner of the Halloween Costume Contest, in which you had won second place and earned a generous portion of candies and other goodies, you were finding little more interest in the festivities going on.

With a small hum, you gathered up your nearly full bag of treats and headed out while the parents chaperoning were preoccupied with some other game, too impatient on waiting for Lady or Dante to come get you. The party hadn't been too far away from the shop, and with the other trick-or-treaters running around with their parents and such, you figured it would be fine walking back on your own.

As you walked, you couldn't help the big smile that found its way to your face, giddy with the magical feel of the evening. You loved all the costumes everyone was sporting, delighting in the many different costumes of mythical beings, cartoon characters, and scary monsters sported by kids and adults alike. You had even been stopped and complimented on your costume a few times, which had you beaming with joy.

You were having so much fun!

 "Well, what a lovely little girl you are! Oh, and what a lovely costume you have there!"

Stopping, you turned and smiled sweetly at a woman that was clearly an adult but looked rather young. She wasn’t dressed up like some of the other adults, but she did have the most interesting pair of glowing, violet-colored eyes, probably some of those fancy colored contacts you had seen others wear for their costumes.

Had you been paying attention, you would have noticed how oddly quiet the streets suddenly were, how strangely void of people the sidewalks were.

"Thank you very much," you beamed with pride over your own costume.

The woman smiled down at you, tilting her head just slightly to the side in what could have been assumed as curiosity.

"If you don't mind me asking, young one, just what have you decided to dress up as?"

You bristled just a bit at the question, though you remained as polite as possible.

"Well, I’m clearly a Vampire Princess, if you can't tell. I have this pretty tiara, and these pointy fangs, and blood right here at my mouth."

You pointed at all these features in hopes to convince the woman of your intentions for each article, even going so far as to make a scary face and showing off your fangs, but her following laughter made you nervous. It didn't help that you had noticed she, too, was wearing fangs despite her lack in costume clothing.

"How positively delightful! Such a fiery little vampire you are." She suddenly bent down low to meet you at eye-level, a wide smile twisting her lips. Even without dressing up, she was becoming quite scary, in your eyes.

"Would you like to know a little secret?"

Almost reluctantly, you leaned in, wary of the woman, but still so very curious of what her secret was. Suddenly, pale, clawed hands were grabbing your shoulders, forcing you to drop your candy bag and cry out at the rather rough force used to handle you. You struggled as the woman laughed once more, her smile sickeningly sweet, almost sadistically gleeful.

"I'm an _actual_ vampire, my dear, and you’re going to be such a delicious little treat!”

You glared at the woman despite the fear making you tremble and continued to struggle in her grasp. You kicked out to no avail and thrashed your head back and forth, forcing your tiara to fall from your hair and fall to the ground with a tinkling sound. When the woman suddenly pulled at your hair and forced your head to the side to expose your neck, you did the only thing you could think to do at that moment.

"DADDY!"

The hands gripping at your shoulder and hair suddenly disappeared as the woman began hissing at an unseen force. You gave a startled yell at being dropped so suddenly, but you knew an opportunity when you saw one. You clambered to your feet and bolted down the block, refusing to look back until you were safely behind the locked doors of the shop and within the safety of your father’s room.

It wasn't but a few minutes later that you heard heavy footfalls outside your father's door. You dove under the blankets, peaking only slightly when the door opened.

"Squirt, Daddy's here."

With a relieved hiccup, you threw the covers from your form and ran into Dante's arms, sobbing as he wrapped an arm around your trembling body and shushed you gently. After a moment, he pulled away somewhat to look at your face, smiling while wiping away black-tinted rivers of tears from your face.

"I think you look scarier with these little black lines all down your face."

"That's not n-nice," you pouted while hitting at your father’s shoulder, though you couldn't stop the smile that tugged at your lips. Dante chuckled while giving a quick peck to your forehead and then your cheek, sweeping back your hair from your face.

"You left some things behind when you ran off."

You gave your father a confused look as he shook something he had been hiding behind his back. He shifted, revealing the almost full bag of candy as well as your glittering tiara that had fallen from your head.

"We can't have such a scary Vampire Princess without her crown, now can we?"

Dante carefully placed the tiara back atop your head as he placed the bag of candy on the ground before you, sifting through it until he found one of your favorite flavored lollipops. He unwrapped the sweet treat and held it out to you, giving a flourishing bow from his kneeling position as well as flashing a devilish smile.

"Your scepter, my lady."

You giggled and gave a small sniffle as you took the lollipop from his hand and placed it in your mouth, the sweet flavor instantly taking over your taste buds. You smiled at your father as he returned the grin, a softer smile than the one previous. He always knew how to make you feel better.

"Happy Halloween, Daddy."

"Happy Halloween, Squirt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	14. Goodbye, Potential Boyfriend (14 yrs.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember enjoying writing this chapter so much! It was just as delightful editing it and reliving the whole thing. Enjoy!

The relationship between you and Hunter had started out as a simple friendship nearly two years ago when you had advanced into the “junior high” stage of your teachings in the private school Dante had thrust you into (only courtesy of the Dean who owed Dante a huge favor after saving his ass from a horde of swamp creatures).

It was nothing new to you, as you had many friends that were boys. Your only guess as to why at that time was because you could relate to boys a little more because of the teachings of your dear ol’ father. Many of the girls didn’t much care for the same things that interested you, and that was cool. You had others who did, and Hunter had been one of them.

When said friend moved up into high school, however, you began to see him in a different light. His hazel eyes seemed to catch you more often when you glanced at him from the corner of your own gaze. His sandy blonde hair had a much more appealing look to it than the year before, and that smile…it was enough to make your heartbeat quicken and butterflies flutter in your stomach.

It was hard enough keeping such strange yet perfectly normal emotions at bay, and there was more than one instance you were sure he knew of the crush you had on him. If he did, he didn’t voice his concerns or consequent lack of them, so you continued on with your friendship within the charade of feeling _just_ friendship.

The last thing you wanted was for your father to catch wind of your little crush. God only knows what he would do when – no, _if_ he ever found out.

As any normal friend would do, you invited Hunter over to _Devil May Cry_ with the assurance that your father had been called out on a mission that morning and wasn’t expected home until much later that night. It was hard enough keeping secrets from the old man as it was; you didn’t need him harping on you just for bringing a “friend” over, a _boy_ friend, no less.

“ _Devil May Cry_ , huh? I’ve heard a few people talk about this place before.”

“You…you have?” you asked nervously. It wasn’t a secret that the shop was renowned around the city and bordering towns for getting rid of “unwanted” problems, but you were afraid of the rumors ruining Hunter’s interest in spending time together.

“Yeah, just a few things, nothing bad, I swear.”

“Oh, well that’s good, I guess.”

With a hidden sigh of relief, you grabbed the key that was around your neck and unlocked the door before entering the shop with your crush right at your heels. You watched Hunter’s reaction as he took in the surrounding area, his honey-hazel eyes wide with fascination. It wasn’t often children his age were able to see the shop’s interior, nor was it often that the place was as clean as you had gotten it the night before just for this occurrence.

“Whoa, nice place.”

You could feel the heat rise to your cheeks at his statement, though you tried desperately to brush it aside by moving forward toward your father’s desk.

“Thanks. My dad, uh, likes to collect artifacts from various locations around the country. He’s really into the weird and freaky, as you can see.”

“Weird and freaky? I think this stuff is pretty cool!”

You could have sworn you felt your heart leap in your chest.

“Really, Hunter?”

“Yeah, I sure do! Do you think I could, maybe, see that shrunken head thing over there on the shelf?”

You looked over at the shrunken head your father had named Artichoke, or Artie for short. Why he had decided on that name, you weren’t sure, but you did know that your father loved that thing more than most of his other little trinkets, for whatever reason.

Well, what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt, right?

You smiled as you moved behind the desk, and reach for the little shrunken head with several small braids running through his hair and stitching over his mouth and left eye. With careful fingers, you plucked Artie from his perch atop the wooden shelf, turning and nearly tripping over your own two feet with how close Hunter had gotten. You hadn’t even realized he had moved in behind you!

“Whoa, careful, there! You could hurt yourself!”

You gave a somewhat nervous laugh, fully aware of the arms that had found their way around you. He was just being polite as any young man _should_ be. It was just your imagination that he was pulling you closer; it was just your imagination that the look in his eyes changed from amused to almost tender; it was certainly your imagination that made you think he was moving in much closer….

“H-Hunter, what are you...?”

Hunter’s face had closed in mere inches from your own, and you swore that if you had died right then and there, you’d have been one happy teenage girl just for him being as close as he was. And he was moving closer still! Did that mean that…that he was going to kiss you?!

“(Y/n), I –“

- _Click_ -

In a flash of pure, embarrassing agony, reality came crashing back down on you. With a hesitant twist of your head to the right, your wide eyes fell upon the one person you had hoped would never, ever meet Hunter.

Wait…when the hell did he even get here?

“Dad?”

Though you had called out to him, Dante kept his eyes focused on the lad he currently had Ebony pointed at, the boy’s eyes wide with fear as he turned and stared straight into the barrel. Dante’s baby blue eyes were calm, as was his expression, though you could tell he was masking what he was truly feeling in that moment.

You weren’t sure if he was being serious or playful, but either mood would be a call for disaster.

“So, Hunter, was it?” he started off nonchalantly, as if he were just discussing casual business with Morrison, “I see you have an interest in my little girl, here. Well, allow me to explain something to you, and get it through your head quick, because I won’t explain it again.”

As a follow up to the suspenseful warning, Dante pulled out Ivory and held it out with Ebony, Hunter’s eyes twice as wide than they were previously.

“Dad, stop it! You’re scaring him!”

“You see, Hunter, that’s my precious little girl, right there, and if you’d like to, oh, I don’t know…date her, then you’ll have to beat me at a little game. I gotta warn you, though, I _never_ miss a shot.”

It took only a moment to process what had been said, and just like that, Hunter was scrambling away and out the door as if death itself had given him the choice between living and dying.

You watched, despaired, as your crush flew out of the shop, a sad sort of ache entering your heart at a missed opportunity for something _more_. As you looked at your father, however, that ache flared dangerously until your own eyes darkened with the rage that coursed through your veins.

“You…you are such a…A JERK!” you screeched, balling up your fists at your sides. You were dangerously close to hitting your own father, the only thing keeping you from doing so being that he had two guns in his hands at the moment.

He wouldn’t shoot you, of course, but you didn’t want to chance accidentally damaging anything in the shop, should he misfire upon the impact of your fist in his face.

Apparently, you weren’t angry enough. Dante merely brushed off your anger as being hilarious and began laughing justly, holding his stomach as if it were too much to take in.

“Did…did you see the way that kid’s face looked? I’m surprised he didn’t piss his pants!”

“What the hell is _wrong_ with you?! You pointed a gun at his head!”

“Psh, relax, Squirt, they aren’t even loaded. Besides, if he truly likes ya, he’ll come back and won’t be afraid of a little challenge.”

That was the final straw. Knowing the guns weren’t loaded, you reared back and put as much force as you could behind your fist as you threw it right into your father’s jaw. Surprised, Dante was knocked back a few feet, though there was no initial damage done. He rubbed at his lightly stubbled face, giving you somewhat of a pout.

“Hey, that kinda hurt.”

“I don’t care! You’re…you’re…you’re such an ass! That is the last time I ever bring anyone over, ever again! I swear, when I get my gun, the first shot I make is in you, _Daddy_!”

With the final word in, you gave one last, heated glare to your father before storming up the stairs, making sure to hit each creaking step hard with the sole of your shoe as if further proving your hate towards him at that very moment.

Dante watched as you went, still rather amused at the whole incident. Sure, he could have handled it a little better, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun if he had.

He moved to sit in his big leather chair, deciding that it was best to let you let off some steam before he attempted to make amends with dinner and your favorite dessert. He paused momentarily when his foot collided with something on the floor, looking down just as something rolled beneath his desk. Curious, he reached beneath it just as he heard your bedroom door slam shut, nearly hitting his head against the top of the desk when he popped back up and eyed the item with a fond, confused look.

“Artie, my little buddy! What in the hell are you doing on the floor?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


End file.
